Ladder



H.l M. HOlT Oct. 5, 1943.4

LADDER Filed April l, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN1/EN TOR. Y

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,n a IM n I 6\7 [u a HHN @A f LI. ||H|||J xlib/W5 --.J *ruf w V\\ mm o/a w 0% u M rBY Oct. 5, 1943. H. M. Holr 2,330,825

LADDER Filed April l1, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 2 Z/ TW' 1w IN VEN TOR.

, Patented oct. 5, 1943r f 1 uumrsu I ,STATES 2,330,825 -rln'nrilrn- 4 i Henry Mflloit; 'rasata Westf. Application A prn 1 1942,sgria1 N0. 433251 p vThis invention relates to ladders. one of the @meets being t provide a .ladderwith .less meunied on the respective side' rails and Pl'Qvilng `means whereby the ladder .can be Supported properly on inclined' or stepped surfaces. s

` A further object is to provide adjustable legs so connected that when one 'leg "is loweredfthe other leg will be correspondingly raised.` l Y y A Still further object is to provide sirnpie but L ecient means serving to iclamp the lvegstightly against movement when. the lladder is subjected to a load, the clamping action increasing proportion to the .load applied; so 'that accidental shifting of the legs from their proper positions @Il the .side railsof the `ladder is prevented.. f s With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the Yc lescription proceeds; the invention consists of .certain novel details of .oon-

struction and combinations v`ofparts hereinafter ,more `fully Vdescnbcd and Pointed out in the claims, n; being understood that Vchanges may` be made in the lconstruction yand arrangement of `iarts without ldeparting freni the "spiritofthe invention as claimed.

. .In the aeomnanyins .drawings the preferred e form `off the inventionhaS heen- ShQWn.. s 'In said drawings i t scarna (ci. 'sanfter Al@coinnecting p lzggje'y ljoinsthe upper ends of "the straps 5 seated in` tl'iese's'traps at a saint aber@ the adjaei Ster Z's'a .Infanteria 'I I on which are p iygtallyrnunt'edtheend portions .Qf a Stirrili It teia smiled' the "adi" n flsounalled onthe pin itiorieelr to workfwit-nin the 'opening I I and 1s posW ...aan mounted in the Connect-Iig .member 'n .is a but a secures-i@ we @einem ria-i111 @n belt is. solisti .Spring t5 'i'lnists ai onev end against'tiicolinestingr member" while its. other @ne is. engaged by 51114516 dirsfably mounted on the boltf Gbvicu'sl spring vacts cama naar warteten sans: f

appoint-s abfove the 'pulleys `VIfand are located Preferitiy" beneath and dass. to 'Ster-12am@ the lowerrnoststep, and secured -to each o'f the Y side Yrails -I belowfijhe pulley H'fis na.fgillzzie `strap Figure `1 is 1a fron-t ,elevation of a ladder which, inthe present instance, are connected by 'a .which the ma. l

Each sideraii is provided, on its outer surface,

.sae #naar .1pts-maiali' naar f algaent tdt-he cen- He rfg ministering bracket 2l.

t rof :tened to "the lower Vends of vthe brackets are the ,.40 erence;v I designates the side `rails offa ladderV `steps 2 although it is tobe understoodthat run'gs could be used in lieu of the steps. t

Openings 3 are provided in one of the steps, vpreferably the lowest one and these openings confimunicate` with short slots 4 iorrned longitudinally in the adjacent side,..rails I. Spaced v straps 5 are extended through the ,openings 3 and are ,pivotally connected at their'lower ends 'by a pin 6 to arms 'I extending from a guidevl strap 8 which is extended around rail `I Y and vfastened thereto? by bolts; 9 or other suitable means. s

ends of a chain 22 or other suitable flexible connection which is extended downwardly within channels 2i] and thence under the pulleys I3 and the step 2 adjacent thereto. The upper por,-

. tions `ofthe anchoring brackets 2| are vconnected to the ends .of a chain or other flexible connec-V tion 23 extending upwardly within the channels 25 and over the pulleys I1 and under the adjacent Ystep 2. `Thus it will be apparent that as these flexible connections are taut, when onelof the legs I9 is pulled downwardly motion will be `transmitted therefrom through the flexible connection to the other leg so as to move that leg upwardly; Consequently the two legs can be quickly adjusted so` as to properly support the ladder in an upstanding position on an inclined or stepped surface. v

When a weight, such as that of a person using the ladder, is placedon one of the steps 2, the side rails I of the ladderwill tend to move downwardly relative tothe legsor extensions IS with the result that the pulleys I3, in pressing down- Wardly on the chain 22, willrbecaused to swing` 55 towardeach other about the pivot pins 6 and it thus becomes possible to readily readjust the legs or extensions i9.

What is claimed is: l. The combination with a of legs extending longitudinally of and mounted to slide upon the side rails, means operated byv the sliding movement of either leg in one direction or sliding the other leg in the `opposite direction, said means including 'a flexible connection between the legs extended transversely of the ladder, leg-clamping members carried by ladder having a pair of side rails andsteps connecting the rails,

either leg in one direction for sliding the other leg in the opposite direction, said means including a flexible connection between the legs and extended transversely of the ladder, pulleys at the sides of the ladder and pivotally connected thereto for swinging movement toward and from each other, said pulleys constituting means for transmitting downward thrust from the ladder to theflexible connection, and means actuated by the pulleys when moved` toward each other, iorgripping the legs to hold them against movement relative to the side rails.

Ll, The combination with a ladder having side rails, of legs slidably mounted on the respective yside, rails, means operated by the movement of either leg in one direction for sliding the other leg inthe opposite direction, said means includone of the steps and vembracing the respective legs andtheir rails, yielding means for holding each member normally disengaged from' the ad-,

jacent leg, and means movable withV said member, said means beingpositioned for actuation yby the said flexible connectionto shiftthe clampingmember into leg-engaging position against the action of the yielding means when the ladder issubjected to a load.

2. The combinationr with a ladder having side rails, of legs slidably mounted `on the respective rails, meansoperated by either leg when` shifted in one direction for sliding the other leg-in the opposite direction, said means including ajtransing va Vflexible connection between the legs and extended 'transversely of the ladder, pulleys at the sides of the ladderand pivotally'connected thereto for swinging movement toward and from each other, said pulleys constituting means for Vtransmitting"downward thrust from the ladder to the flexible connection, means actuated by the pulleys .when moved towardeach other, for gripping the legs to hold them against movement relative to the side rails, and yielding means for holding the pulleys normally pressed away from each other.

5. The combination with a ladder having side rails, of'legs slidably mounted upon the respective rails, means operated by the movement of either leg in one direction orsliding the other verse flexible element connected to the respective i each member and bearing'on theilexible connection, thereby to transmit thrust from-the ladder through the pulleys and connection to the legs to bind the clamping members on the legs when the ladder is subjected yto a load, and VyieldingA means for holding the clamping members normally out of leg-clamping positions.

. 3. The 4combination witha lladder having side lrails, of legs slidably mounted on the respective side rails, means operated by the movement oi legs, a leg-clanfipingV element ateach side ofand v connected to the ladder, a pulley movable with leg in the opposite direction, said means including upper and lower flexible connections movaoly mounted transversely` of the ladder, the terminals of each connection being extended along the rails of the ladder toward the terminals ci the other connection, guide pulleys carried by the ladder for the upper `flexible connection, guide pulleys for the lower connection,

lmeans connecting the lastnamed guide pulleys \to the sides of the ladder for swinging move- HENRY M. Herr. 

